student homework contract

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• Homework Contracts

This Issue's Topic:

• Tools to Build Student Text and Lecture Comprehension

Students who regularly complete and turn in homework assignments perform significantly better in school than those of similar ability who do not do homework (Olympia et al., 1994). Homework is valuable because it gives students a chance to practice, extend, and entrench the academic skills taught in school. Parents can be instrumental in encouraging and motivating their children to complete homework. This homework contract intervention (adapted from Miller & Kelly, 1994) uses goal-setting, a written contract, and rewards to boost student completion (and accuracy) of homework. Students also learn the valuable skills of breaking down academic assignments into smaller, more manageable subtasks and setting priorities for work completion.

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   Homework Contract

Create your own printable contract — FREE!

Formatted and ready to use with Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or any other word processor that can open the .DOC file format.

I, {Student Name} , agree to practice and complete the following exercises as often as required by my teacher(s):

• {Number} minutes reviewing vocabulary words every {day/other day/Friday, etc.}
• {Number} minutes practicing my musical instrument every {day/other day/Friday, etc.}
• {Number} minutes practicing typing skills every {day/other day/Friday, etc.}
• {Number} minutes reading from a class-approved book every {day/other day/Friday, etc.}
• {Number} minutes memorizing {subject} every {day/other day/Friday, etc.}
• {Number} minutes reviewing second language vocabulary every {day/other day/Friday, etc.}

I will get a daily/weekly signature from a parent who can verify that I practiced these subjects on a regular basis.

I understand that if I don't practice these subjects on a daily or weekly basis that my performance in class and my grades will suffer.

We, {Parent Names} , will monitor our child's study behavior throughout the week and only sign the attached practice sheet if we are sure that our child practiced each subject for the sufficient amount of time.

___________________________ Student's Signature

___________________________ Date

__________________________ Parent's Signature

Index of Printable Contract Examples

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Student Contract Templates

Are you looking for a comprehensive and legally binding agreement that outlines the expectations and responsibilities between students and educational institutions? Look no further than our extensive collection of student contracts. Also known as student agreements, these documents serve as essential tools to establish a fair and mutually beneficial relationship between students and educational institutions .

Our student contracts cover a wide range of topics, including academic improvement, school attendance, and training agreements. These agreements provide a clear framework for student behavior , academic performance, and goals, ensuring a conducive learning environment for all parties involved .

Whether you are a student seeking to improve your academic performance or an educational institution aiming to foster a positive and structured learning environment, our student contracts can help you establish clear guidelines and ensure accountability for all parties.

With our library of student contracts, you will have access to professionally drafted templates that can be customized to meet your specific needs. These contracts are designed to adhere to local regulations and are suitable for educational institutions and students in various jurisdictions, including the United States, Canada, and other countries.

Don't leave your educational journey to chance. Take control of your academic experience by utilizing our comprehensive collection of student contracts. Ensure clarity, transparency, and accountability with our well-crafted agreements.

Note: Please note that the provided documents titles have not been used in the text to maintain the SEO requirements.

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Student & Teacher Contract Template

This type of document is a template for creating a contract between students and teachers. It outlines the rights, responsibilities, and expectations for both parties involved in the educational relationship.

Student Contract for Academic Improvement

This document is a student contract that outlines the actions and commitments required for academic improvement. It is used to ensure clarity and accountability between students and educational institutions.

School Attendance Contract Template

This document is a template for a school attendance contract. It outlines the terms and conditions for a student's attendance at school, including expectations for attendance, punctuality, and behavior.

Form DCF-2302 Wilderness School - Student Contract - Connecticut

This document is a student contract form specifically for the Wilderness School in Connecticut. It outlines the terms and conditions that students must adhere to during their time at the school.

Form HSMV77072S School & Student Contract - Florida

This form is used for school and student contracts in the state of Florida.

Form A3 Cdi Student Training Agreement Form - Manitoba, Canada

This document is used for student training agreements in Manitoba, Canada.

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All educators have tough cases . You know the ones — those kiddos who persistently color on classroom materials that are most definitely NOT meant for art displays. Or the middle schoolers who just can’t seem to internalize the phrase, “keep your hands to yourself.” These students are difficult for teachers and having to communicate the trouble to parents often leads to a difficult conversation. However, using a behavior contract can help redirect the conversation and the student’s conduct down a more positive path.

What is a behavior contract?

Behavior contracts are agreements between teachers, parents, and students that accomplish the following:

·         Clearly communicates the limits for behavior.

·         Plainly outlines the consequences for continuing to engage in negative actions.

·         Documents offenses to promote discussion and understanding.

·         Provides a straightforward and visual means for tracking behavior.

·         Supplies rewards for engaging in replacement behavior.

The primary purpose of a behavior contract is to improve the student’s conduct. It provides a positive avenue for approaching distracting, negative, or harmful behavior in the classroom. The contract encourages student and parent involvement, provides a way for students to monitor their own progress, and lets students build the skills for managing their own behavior.

The benefits of behavior contracts

Behavior contracts are a collective approach to dealing with undesirable conduct. They offer multiple benefits for students, educators, and parents, such as the following:

• Better communication: A behavior contract allows parents and teachers to have consistent communication about students. Many behavior contracts are accompanied by daily or weekly progress reports so that parents are receiving consistent feedback on improvement, or lack thereof.
• Documentation: Behavior contracts track progress and let all participants identify positive or negative trends. They also provide documentation of past efforts, in case modifications need to be made.
• Ownership: Engaging the students and parents in the problem encourages ownership of the situation. The ultimate goal is to encourage students to manage their own behavior in the future. By prompting them to evaluate their behavior and weigh the consequences, you are teaching them better conduct and giving them the skills for future behavior success!
• Clear expectations: Defining clear expectations on the behavior contract is critical if you want to see improvements and makes those standards visible and easy to understand for all those involved.
• Consistency: In the heat of a difficult moment, it can sometimes be tough to follow through with the promised consequence. Maybe the consequence doesn’t seem like enough on a rough day. Having a behavior contract makes sticking to your resolve a little easier because it’s been clearly defined and agreed to.
• Customized approach: Every student is different and creating a customized behavior contract allows for success because it accounts for individual challenges and preferences, increasing the likelihood of success.
• Improved student/teacher relationships: Positive student relationships are important for engaging kids and providing a successful learning environment. Behavior contracts help get those relationships back on better ground.

Tips for effective behavior contracts

If you want your behavior contract to be successful, take careful consideration when developing the document for each student. It can be beneficial to have a parent discussion prior to outlining the contract so that you make are making more informed decisions.

Here are some additional tips for behavior contracts:

Make it a group effort. Everyone should sign the behavior contract. In doing so, it allows for student and parent input and gives all participants an active role in encouraging the outcomes.

Provide all information the student needs for correcting their conduct. Provide the negative behavior , the replacement actions, the result when the negative behavior is used, and the result of engaging in the replacement behavior. This leaves no question as to what will happen in any situation . Also, frame the contract with positive incentives for the replacement behavior, rather than placing emphasis on the negative behavior. For example, don’t use “I did not complete all of my assigned work.” Instead use, “I completed all of my assigned work for the day,” leaving space for a checkmark, smiley face, or sticker.

Use logical consequences to frame the terms for not adhering to the rules. Punishments have been proven to be ineffective for most children. Instead of punitive motivation, explain what will happen when the student doesn’t achieve the desired behavior. For example, one consequence might be “if I do not follow the rules of group discussion, I will not be allowed to participate in the group.”

Connect the consequence to the behavior. The result should make sense to the student. For example, it would be hard to connect the action of “if I do not complete my assigned work” to the consequence of “I lose my toys for three days.” Behavior contracts are more effective when students can directly associate their behavior to a related outcome. Instead, you might try “if I do not complete my assigned work today, I will have to complete the work during my free time.” You might also encourage parents to discuss what that means at home, such as “doing your schoolwork at home might mean you lose out on playtime with friends.”

Make behavior contracts visual and easy to understand . Especially with younger students, it’s very important that they clearly understand the system and the expectations. Making it visual with stars or adding in graphic elements will assist with comprehension. Charts, tables, and other structured elements are also helpful items to integrate.

Be patient. The behavior contract needs time to work. You may not see success in the initial attempts, but a comprehensive plan will work with time.

Remember, the driving force behind the behavior contract is to provide students with the tools they need to manage their own behavior. Keep a positive attitude and continue being an inspirational educator!

Ashley gained a passion for all things writing by spending years teaching a high school English class. She founded Contenthusiast so that she could spend her days hovering over a keyboard. When she isn’t writing, you can find her traveling with family or buried in a book.

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How to Create a School Contract With Your Tween

Help Your Student Prioritize the School Year

Blend Images / Getty Images

Students and parents often have high expectations and hopes for a new school year. But without a plan, it's easy for the school year to get ahead of you. Before you know it, your child may be struggling and you're wondering why you didn't pick up on the fact that he's behind on homework or having challenges in math.

One way to avoid these problems is to have a school contract in place at the beginning of the school year. A parent-student contract can help you and your student stay focused and start communicating about any challenges they face, now and in the future. It also serves as a reminder of the responsibilities each of you has regarding their school work. 

A Sample Parent-Child School Contract

Below is a sample school contract that you and your teen may use. You can alter it to suit your particular situation. Be sure to update the contract as needed, when circumstances and challenges change.

Parent's Responsibilities

• I will help my child start the school year off by attending the school's open house or school orientation. I will visit with my child's teachers and learn more about my student's classes by reviewing the class syllabus or class outline.
• I will provide all the necessary school supplies my child needs and will stock up on extra supplies that we anticipate will be needed periodically throughout the school year.
• I will help my child determine if new school clothes will be needed as well as shoes and sneakers for gym class .
• I will fill out all school forms in a timely manner so that my child can return them promptly to the school.
• I will periodically review my child's homework in order to make sure he isn't having difficulties.
• If my child needs assistance, I will work with him through the academic challenge, or I will find a tutor or a teacher to help my child overcome the academic obstacle.
• I will provide positive feedback and appreciation for my child's hard work. I will not berate my child for struggling on a test or for having problems with a class.
• I will provide healthy after-school snacks and breakfast options for my child.
• I will allow my child the chance to tackle homework and projects without unnecessary interference. I will help when asked but will refrain from taking charge so that my child does the work on his own and learns from the experience.
• I will stay up to date on school events, field trips and other activities.
• I will give my child more and more independence based on his maturity and the circumstances.

Student's Responsibilities

• I will keep my parents informed of school events, class projects, and other school responsibilities as I learn about them.
• I will make homework a priority and will begin my work without being told.
• I will let my parents know if I'm falling behind in class or struggling with a subject.
• I will let my parents know if I'm being bullied at school or on the school bus.
• I will attempt to eat a healthy breakfast and pack a healthy lunch for school.
• I will bring my gym clothes home weekly for washing.
• I will not engage in dangerous practices or behaviors that could harm me such as drinking, smoking, or using inhalants.
• I will join a school club or activity that interests me.
• I will not wait until the last minute to study for a test, write a paper, or do a project.
• I will not cheat , plagiarize, or allow others to cheat off of my work.
• I will respect my teachers and other members of the school staff.
• If I take advanced courses I will put the time into them that they require.

Signature _____________________________ (Parent)

Signature _____________________________ (Student)

Keep your contract posted someplace where both of you can review it if needed. The contract can serve as a gentle reminder to everyone about their school responsibilities.

A Word From Verywell

This simple parent-student contract can do wonders for improving your child's performance at school. By showing them that you are taking on responsibilities as well, it reinforces the idea that they are not alone. It's a small step that is worth trying for a variety of school related challenges.

By Jennifer O'Donnell Jennifer O'Donnell holds a BA in English and has training in specific areas regarding tweens, covering parenting for over 8 years.